Petty Apple is petty. Amazon, Kobo, and others have changed their applications to conform to Apple's App Store rules, and if there's one word that describes the situation these booksellers are in, it's petty. Still, it's leading to good things: Kobo has announced it's going to bypass the App Store by writing an HTML5 e-reader for iOS (and thus, for other HTML5-capable mobile devices).

I suppose Amazon and the others should be grateful that Apple lets them play in their playground at all.

Why should they be grateful? Any other handset would welcome those updates with open arms so Apple are clearly abusing their position.

In fact I think Amazon et al have grounds to complain about anti-competitive practices. The only sticking point would be whether handset market share is critical - what with iOS devices not being nearly as dominant as Apple like to publicise.

Well you've taken that quote out of context with the rest of my post, but anyway, duly noted to self: not everyone is aware of rhetorical devices.

In fact I think Amazon et al have grounds to complain about anti-competitive practices. The only sticking point would be whether handset market share is critical - what with iOS devices not being nearly as dominant as Apple like to publicise.

No-one is forcing Amazon to put a Kindle app on Apple devices yet they willingly do so knowing Apple's record and knowing the terms and conditions (which Apple may change at will).

So, if there are grounds to complain about anti-competitive practices, does Amazon:

A) report Apple for anti-competitive practices

B) obey Apple and make the following mild announcement on the forum for the Kindle app: "In order to comply with recent policy changes by Apple, we've also removed the "Kindle Store" link from within the app that opened Safari and took you to the Kindle Store. You can still shop as you always have - just open Safari and go to www.amazon.com/kindlestore. If you want, you can bookmark that URL. Your Kindle books will be delivered automatically to your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch, just as before."

Hmm... tricky, I know.

(this comment includes rhetorical devices. Deal with it - or not, if you can't or don't want to. There are still some freedoms we have and we should cherish, celebrate and take advantage of them while we can!)

Apple devices are sold. They aren't Apple property, except when they are in Apple Stores or in their stock.

But maybe Apple consider their customers are their property, who know. Maybe it's written in their EULA, somewhere: all you customer are belong to us!

I predict a big surprise, then. Smartphones owners and geeks are far less brand belovers and far more hype followers (or makers, for some). For a company making now near half of its revenue from this kind of customers, they should care more...

B) obey Apple and make the following mild announcement on the forum for the Kindle app: "In order to comply with recent policy changes by Apple, we've also removed the "Kindle Store" link from within the app that opened Safari and took you to the Kindle Store. You can still shop as you always have - just open Safari and go to www.amazon.com/kindlestore. If you want, you can bookmark that URL. Your Kindle books will be delivered automatically to your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch, just as before."

Hmm... tricky, I know.

What would be more funny is to add this notice not on their website but... on the second page of every Kindle electronic books they deliver to Apple devices
;-)

No-one is forcing Amazon to put a Kindle app on Apple devices yet they willingly do so knowing Apple's record and knowing the terms and conditions (which Apple may change at will).

True. But users of Apple devices and of Kindle get crippled apps. Where the required operation to buy a book becomes more complicated. If the user still wants it then they can go trough the website; The question is that apple is deliberatly adding annoyance where there previously was none.

Sure, both amazon and the users may accept this. But it still does not make it right or particularly fair.

The Kindle came out three years before the iPad and you think that Amazon should sue Apple? For what? Making a more appealing product -- something that can do more than just display books in greyscale?

The Kindle came out three years before the iPad and you think that Amazon should sue Apple? For what? Making a more appealing product -- something that can do more than just display books in greyscale?

I couldn't think of anything worse than buying an iPad as an eBook reader:
* a backlit LCD would is a horrible strain on the eyes compared to the Kindles eInk.
* a glass screen is a nightmare to read from in bright light where as the Kindles matted display is perfect.
* the battery life on the Kindle runs circles around the iPad.

Sure the iPad is a better multi-functional device than the Kindle, but then the Kindle was never meant to be a tablet PC. However if you're comparing like for like then the iPad is a much worse eBook reader than the Kindle.